Electric switch



July 23, 1940. w. c. STRUNGART ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 29, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l gwuam'rom W. Sir ungarl" July 23, 1940. w. c. STRUNGART ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 29, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved electric switch provided with a time delay attachment for maintaining a circuit around the switch for a predetermined period after the circuit through the switch has been broken.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved manually operated switch adapted to be pivotally mounted for a rocking motion to move a sliding contact member relatively to two stationary contacts or terminals for making and breaking a circuit therethrough, and a secondary switch connected to said stationary contacts and pivotally mounted to move as a unit with said first mentioned switch and provided with means whereby a circuit will be completed around said slidably mounted contact and maintained for a predetermined period after said sliding contact has been moved to an open position.

More particularly, it is an aim of this invention to provide a time delay attachment comprising a pivotally mounted container having a perforated transverse wall and adapted to contain an electrolyte substance forming a conductor between two electrodes extending into one end of said casing to maintain a circuit therethrough for a predetermined period until said substance can seep through the perforations of said wall and out of the end of the casing in which said electrodes are disposed.

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide means adapted to enclose the exposed ends of a pair of electrodes to prevent sparks when a. circuit is completed or broken between said electrodes by an electrolyte conductor.

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide a switch provided with a time relay attachment, of simple construction capable of being economically manufacture and of operating with a maximum of efilciency.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the switch shown mounted in a container with the ,lid thereof in an open position,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, with thelid in a closed position,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical central sectional view of the switch, including the time delay attachment, in an open position,

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 3 showing the switch in its closed position,

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 3, showing the switch in an open position and the time delay attachment in a closed position,

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5, 5 Figure '7 is a diagrammatic view showing the invention in circuit with a source of electric current and a light bulb, and

Figure 8 is an enlarged central vertical sectional view partly in elevation of the terminal 1Q end of one of the electrodes.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the dififerent views, it designates generally a box or container 15 in which the switch may be mounted and which is provided with a lid II which is hinged at 12.

A pair of spaced standards l3 project upward- 1y from the bottom of the box E0 to provide supporting means for the switch. An elongated casing I4 is provided with the stub shafts l5 which project outwardly from opposite sides thereof and intermediate of its ends, and which are adapted to extend through openings in the free ends of the standards 13 to pivotally mount the casing l4.

Casing i4 is provided with a transverse partition l6 dividing the corresponding ends of said casing into corresponding chambers l1 and i8. Partition I6 is provided with an opening 19 adjacent its bottom and with an opening 20 adjacent its top. Casing I4 is provided with the cover 2| which is sealed to the sides as indicated at 22 to provide a liquid and airtight closure.

A cylindrical casing 23 of insulating material is supported by means of the beam 24 in an elevated position above the lid 2| and is disposed longitudinally thereof. Member 23 has a stationary contact 25 mounted in one end thereof and provided with a reduced threaded shank projecting outwardly therethrough and provided with 0 a nut and washer to form a terminal post designated 26. A second stationary contact, designated generally 21, is mounted in the opposite open end of the member 23 and is likewise provided with a corresponding terminal post 26. 45 Contact 21 includes a tubular portion 28 which is connected at one end to its post 26 and which extends substantially through the cylindrical member 23 with its free end slightly spaced from contacts 25. Loosely mounted in the tubular portion 28, is a contact member 29, which as illustrated comprises a plurality of metal rods each of which are of a length less than that of the tubular portion 28 but substantially greater than 55 48, respectively, mounted in spaced apart relaportion 28 and the contact so that one or more of said rods will engage contact 25 when the switch is in position as seen in Figure 4 to thereby complete contact between the two posts 26. When the switch is tilted in the opposite direction each of the rods comprising the movable contact 29 will be in a retracted position within the tubular portion 28 and spaced from contact 25, as seen in Figures 3 and 5, to open or break the contact between the two terminal posts 26.

A lead'wire 38, as best seen in Figure 1 and in the diagrammatic view Figure 7, extends from the post 25 of contact 25 to a post 3| mounted in a side wall of the casing l4 and contiguously with chamber H. An electrode 32 extends from the post 3! inwardly of chamber l7 and downwardly to a point adjacent the bottom of said chamber, adjacent the side thereof on which post 3| is disposed and adjacent to the partition it. A lead 33 extends from the other post 26 to'a post 34 mounted in cover 2| above chamber i7 and adjacent the opposite side thereof to the post 3!. A corresponding electrode 35 connects with an depends from the post 34 downwardly through chamber 17 to a point adjacent its bottom and is likewise disposed adjacent to partition l5 and in spaced apart relationship to the electrode 32. Wires 30 and 33 andthe electrodes 32 and 35 are each provided with tubular casings 360i" insulating material.

' adapted to flow through opening I9 when casing I4 is tilted or rocked endwise with theopening 2t functioning as the vent between the two chambers, r u Referring particularly to the diagrammatic view, Figure 7, the switch heretofore described is especially adapted for use with electric lights, and

may be connected inany suitable circuit therewith as by means of the wires 38 and 39 which extend from the two posts 26 to the posts 40 and tionship inaside wallof the box H], the post llbeing connected by means of a lead wire 4| to,

one side of a source of electric current 42, the

opposite side of whichis connected by the lead: wire 43 to one of the contacts of a lamp bulb 44.

A lead wire 45 extends from thepost 40' to the second contact of the lamp bulb 44. Lead wires 4i and 45, as illustrated in Figure 1, are adapted toextend through an opening46' in the side of box l0 and lead wires 4!, 43 and 45 are likewise enclosed in tubular insulating casings 35.

Secured to and projecting upwardly from one,

of the stub shafts l5, adjacent its free end, is an arm 46 which is split and bent at itsfree end to provide the outwardly projecting apertured car 47 and the inwardly projecting apertured ear 48. Ear 48 is adapted to be connected to the end 49 of arod 50 the opposite end of, which extends outwardly through anopening 5! in the side of the box H3, said last mentionedend being probottom of the box ill. A stop is also mounted on the bottom of box Ill and projects upwardly therefrom to limit themovement of casing 14 an enna intone direction, as bestillustrated in Figure 2,,

In Figure 8 a portion of the electrode 35 is illustrated and as the structure of each of the electrodes 35 and 32 is identical it is to be understood that Figure 8 could equally well be a section of the free end of electrode 32. It will be noted that the casing 36 of the electrode 35 terminates short of its free end and that the free or exposed end, designated 56, is enclosed in a piece of sponge designated 57. By thus encasing the terminal ends of the two electrodes 35 the sparking which ordinarily occurs when a circuit is made or broken between two electrodes and "an electrolyte conductor is prevented so that the gas and fumes given off by the sparks will be eliminated. By

eliminating this sparking the formation of any precipitate in the electrolyte 37 is prevented, the tendency of which in time would interfere with the proper function of the time delay portion of the switch.

From the foregoing it will be seen that casing I4 and the member 23 supported thereby are pivotally mounted for endwise rocking motion so,

Spring 53 moves past the axis of the shafts 45. during the movement of the casing I4 from its position as seen in Figure 3 to its position as seen in Figure 4, so that said spring is thus moved past its dead center and will thereby operate to hold casing M in either of the aforementioned posi-..

tions. Knob 52 by engagement with theouter. side of the box Ill limits the movement of easing. l4 when it is tilted in the direction as seen, in Figures 2 and 3, while the stop 55 limits its move-,

'ment when tilted in the opposite direction,and

it will be noted that in this last mentioned position the casing is tilted at a slightly greater-angle-v toward the vertical so that the electrolyte 37 is held in the end of the chamber l7 and away fromthe electrodes 32 and 35, as best seen in Figure-,4.-

When casing l4 and the member 23 are tilted in the position as seen in Figure 3, the circuit from the source 42 to the lamp bulb 44 will be broken or open as the slidable contact 29 ,is out of engagement with the contact 25 and electrolyte 37 is in chamber I8 and out of contact with the electrodes 32 and 35 so that the circuit will be open as in the diagrammatic view, Figure 7. In

this position rod 50 will be in the position, as seen in Figure 2, so that when it is desired to light bulb 44 rod 50 is retracted to swing casing l4, to..its dotted line position as seen in Figure 2, and as illustrated in Figure 4. This movement will tilt the member 23 in the opposite direction so-that.

the rods forming the sliding contact 29.will slide outwardly of the tubular portion 28 of contact .27, until they engage contact 25 to bridgethe space between said contact and the portion 28 of contact 27 to complete a circuit through the electric source 42 and the lamp bulb 44 to energize the,

bulb. When in this position, the electrolyte 37 will drain through opening l9 into chamber I7 and be contained in one end thereof, as seen in Figure 4. When rod 50 is again movedto'its off or projected position, as seen in Figure 2, the electrolyte 37 will be contained-in chamber I7, in the manner as illustrated in Figure 5 so thateven though the sliding-contact 29 has moved out of engagement with contact 25 to; break the con; nection between said contacts and contact 27, contacts 25 and 27 will still be connected by means of the electrodes32 and 35 andtheir leads and 33; respectively, andthe electrolyte 31' to maintain the circuit" through lamp bulb and the electric source 42- until the electrolyte 31 hasdrained into chamber l8 and out of contact with .the ends 56 of the electrodes, when the circuit will'be broken; It will thusbe seen that the bulb 44 will remain energized for a certain predetermined period after the switch control rod 50 has been moved to its oif position so that the operator of the switch will have time to leave the room or area which is lighted by bulb 44 before the light is extinguished. Obviously, this period can be varied by increasing or decreasing the amount of the electrolyte 37 and/or by varying the size of the opening I9.

Various modifications and changes in the precise construction and arrangement of the switch, comprising the invention, are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, and the right is therefore expressly reserved to make such variations and changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts forming the invention as do not depart from the spirit and scope thereof as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electric switch comprising a hollow body portion provided with a transverse perforated partition dividing said body portion into chambers, means pivotally mounting said body portion intermediate of its ends, means for manually rocking said body portion on its pivot, a switch member disposed on said body portion and provided with spaced contacts at the ends thereof, a movable contact member slidably engaging one of said contacts and movable into engagement with the other contact when said switch member is tilted in one direction, electrodes extending from said spaced contacts into one of said chambers, said electrodes being spaced from each other, and an electrolyte partially filling said body portion and adapted to seep through said perforated partition to drain from the chamber in which said electrodes are disposed to open a circuit completed through said electrodes.

2. A switch as in claim 1, said electrodes being provided with insulation extending to apoint adjacent their free ends, and said free ends being embeded in sponge elements.

3. A switch comprising a closed container provided with a centrally disposed transverse perforated partition dividing the ends of said container, an insulated member mounted on said container and disposed in a plane parallel to the plane thereof, said insulated member being provided with spaced contacts, one of said contacts having a tubular portion extending substantially the length of said member, a contact element slidably mounted in said tubular portion to engage said other contact when said member is tilted in one direction and to be moved away from said last mentioned contact when said member is tilted in the opposite direction, electrodes extending from. said contacts and having their terminals disposed in spaced relationship in one end of said container, said container being partially filled with an electrolyte, and means for pivotally mounting said container intermediate of its ends whereby said container may be rocked to make and break the circuit between said first mentioned contacts, said electrolyte maintaining contact between said electrodes for a predetermined period after said sliding contact has moved out of engagement with one of said first mentioned contacts.

4. An electric switch comprising an insulated otally mounted intermediate of its ends and supporting said tubular body portion, said container having chambers at its ends, passages connecting said chambers, an electrolyte in said container adapted to flow through said passages into either of said chambers, and spaced electrodes extending into one of said chambers and connected to said stationary contacts for completing a circuit therebetween when said tubular body portion and container are tilted to move said sliding contact to an open position, said electrolyte draining from the chamber containing said electrodes, when the switch is in an open position, to open the circuit therethrough after a predetermined period.

5. An electric time delay switch comprising a container, a switch mounted thereon and having fixed stationary contacts and a movable contact slidably mounted to move into and out of engagement with one of said stationary contacts to make or break a circuit therebetween, electrodes extending from said stationary contacts into one end of said container, said container being provided with an electrolyte, passages connecting the ends of said container, means for rocking said container endwise to move said sliding contact to an open or closed position, said electrodes being disposed in the high end of said container when said sliding contact is moved to its open position, with their ends submerged in the electrolyte to complete a circuit through said stationary contacts, said electrolyte draining from said end through the passages to break the electric connection between said electrodes after a predetermined interval.

6. A time delay switch comprising a switch member including spaced fixed contacts and a movable contact, means for actuating said movable contact to make and break a connection between said fixed contacts, electrodes projecting from said fixed contacts, a container adapted to hold an electrolyte into which said electrodes extend, said container being actuated by said means for moving the electrolyte into contact with said electrodes when said movable contact is out of engagement with one of said fixed contacts to maintain a circuit through said fixed contacts for a predetermined period.

'7. A switch comprising spaced fixed contacts, a movable contact, actuating means for moving said movable contact into and out of engagement with one of said fixed contacts to break a connection therebetween, electrodes extending from said fixed contacts, an electrolyte substance, and means containing said electrolyte substance movable by said actuating means for bringing said substance temporarily into engagement with said electrodes simultaneously with the movement of said movable contact out of engagement with one of said fixed contacts whereby a circuit will be maintained thereafter for a predetermined interval.

8. A time delay switch comprising spaced fixed contacts, a movable contact member, "means to actuate said movable-contact member to makeand break a connection between said fixed contacts, electrodes extending from said fixed contacts, and means adapted to contain an electrolyte and to be actuated by said first mentioned VWILLIAM C. STRUNGART. 

